PgMP Exam Objectives

Following are Project Management Institute (PMI)'s Program Management Professional (PgMP) Exam Objectives

DEFINING THE PROGRAM

• Perform a program assessment by defining the program objectives,requirements and establishing a high-level road map in order to ensure program alignment with the enterprise strategic plan or mission.
• Support business analysis functions in identifying marketplace needs for potential program offering in order to ensure program viability through researching, market analysis, and high-level cost-benefit analysis.
• Develop benefits realization plan by estimating the costs and benefits (ROI) of the program in order to establish the program feasibility and obtain funding.
• Perform a preliminary stakeholder analysis through RFP, contract, experience, and input from other sources in order to assess their position relative to the program.
• Establish alliances with other departments and organizations by recognizing dependencies in order to assess potential partnerships and commitment to the program.
• Evaluate the organization's capability by consulting with the groups involved with delivery in order to validate the program priority and alignment to the strategic objectives.
• Request authorization to proceed by presenting the program assessment for approval to the governance authorities in order to initiate the program.

INITIATING THE PROGRAM

• Define the program mission statement by assembling the stakeholders' concerns and expectations in order to establish program direction and set a baseline for any further action.
• Translate strategic objectives into high-level project scope statements by negotiating with stakeholders in order to create a program scope description.
  
• Develop a high-level milestone plan using goals and objectives of the program, applicable historical information, and other available resources in order to align program with expectations of sponsors and stakeholders.
• Develop an accountability matrix by identifying and aligning program roles and responsibilities in order to build the core team and to differentiate between the program and project resources.
• Establish project management standards within the program (governance, tools, finance and reporting) using industry best practices and enterprise standards in order to drive efficiency and consistency among projects.
• Define meaningful measurement criteria for success by analyzing stakeholder expectations and requirements across the constituent projects in order to accurately control program performance.
• Obtain senior management approval for the program by presenting the program charter with its high-level costs and benefits for the organization in order to receive authorization to proceed to the next phases.
• Conduct program kick-offs with stakeholders by holding a series of meetings in order to familiarize the organization with the program

PLANNING THE PROGRAM

• Develop a detailed program scope statement by incorporating program vision, objectives, out-of-scope items, schedule, financial milestones and legal/regulatory/safety concerns in order to aid in overall planning.
  
• Develop program scope definition using Work Breakdown Structure in order to determine the program deliverables and tasks.
• Establish the program management plan and baseline by integrating the plans for the constituent projects and creating the plans for the supporting program functions including management of scope, schedule, finance, benefits, quality, resource, procurement, risk response, change and communications in order to effectively forecast, monitor, and identify variances during program execution.
• Optimize the program plan by reviewing and leveling resource requirements (materials, equipment, facilities, finance, human capital, etc.) in order to gain efficiencies and synergies among projects.
• Define project management information system (PMIS) by selecting tools and processes to share knowledge, intellectual property and documentation across constituent projects in order to maximize synergies and savings.
• Develop the transition plan by defining exit criteria, policies and processes to ensure all administrative, commercial, and contractual obligations are met upon program completion

EXECUTING THE PROGRAM

• Consolidate project/program data (documented issues, status reviews, risks, financial reports, resources, etc.), using predefined reporting tools and methods to monitor program performance.
• Charter constituent projects by assessing project managers and allocating appropriate resources in order to meet program objectives.
• Motivate the team using appropriate tools and techniques in order to increase commitment to the program objectives.
• Establish program consistency by deploying uniform standards, resources, infrastructure, tools and processes in order to enable informed program decision making.
• Capture program status and data by ensuring the population of the program management information system (PMIS) in order to maintain accurate and current program information for the use of stakeholders.
• Execute the appropriate program plans (quality, risk, communication, staffing, etc.) by using the tools identified in the planning phase and by auditing the results of the use of these tools in order to ensure the program outcomes meet the stakeholder expectations and standards.
• Approve closure of the constituent projects upon completion through appropriate processes and procedures in order to obtain acceptance

CONTROLLING THE PROGRAM

• Analyze variance of costs, schedule, quality and risks by comparing actual values to planned values from the program plan, trends, and extrapolation in order to identify corrective actions necessary.
• Identify potential corrective actions by forecasting program outcomes using simulations, what-if scenarios and causal analysis in order to incorporate correctives actions into the program management plan.
• Manage change in accordance with the change management plan to control scope, quality, schedule, cost, and contracts.
• Address program level issues by identifying and selecting a course of action by taking into account the program constraints and objectives in order to enable continued program progress.

CLOSING THE PROGRAM

• Complete a performance analysis report by gathering final values and comparing to planned values for quality, cost, schedule, and resources data in order to determine program performance.
• Manage program completion by executing the transition plan (initiate benefits realization measurement, release the resources and acknowledge individual performance, perform administrative closure, obtain acceptance, transfer ongoing activities to functional organization) in order to close out the program.
• Conduct the stakeholder post-review meeting by presenting the program performance report in order to obtain feedback and capture lessons learned.
  
• Report lessons learned via appropriate methodologies to support future program or organizational improvement